Ecobee today announced that its next-generation ecobee4 smart thermostat with built-in Amazon Alexa voice services is now available to pre-order for $249 on its website in the United States. Pre-orders are estimated to start shipping on May 15, the same day it will hit shelves at Lowe's, Home Depot, and Best Buy.
Like the ecobee3, the ecobee4 continues to support Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, and Samsung's smart home platform SmartThings.
While the ecobee3 also works with Alexa, it can only be controlled by voice using external devices such as the Amazon Echo. The ecobee4, in addition to having a touchscreen and smartphone control, has Alexa built right in with far-field voice technology so that it can hear you from across the room.
Alexa voice service allows customers to simply ask their ecobee4 to adjust the temperature of the home, in addition to the growing list of Alexa skills such as setting a timer, helping plan your commute, or playing the news. Through far-field voice recognition, ecobee4 will conveniently respond to voice commands from anywhere in the room.
The ecobee4 has a built-in speaker and microphone for Alexa, while its side profile appears to be slightly rounder than the ecobee3. Otherwise, it has identical features and tech specs as the ecobee3.
The ecobee4 comes with a wireless room sensor and supports up to 32 sensors. Ecobee said a companion smart light switch that can measure a room's occupancy and temperature will be released later this year.
The ecobee4, like other smart thermostats, is designed to help homeowners save money by intelligently adjusting the temperature of a home. Room sensors help manage hot and cold spots of a home, and homeowners can easily adjust temperature and comfort settings from a paired iOS or Android device.
The ecobee3 remains available for $199 on sale and $249 regularly.
Top Rated Comments
No HomeKit support. But, even with that, it would still suck. I'm getting an Ecobee. I'm sure The microphone can be turned off.
It's great to see Ecobee continuously updating their line. I'm not an Alexa user, so there's no need for me to update. I wish they would increase the resolution/screen quality of the thermostat though.